“It has nothing to do with money,” Micah snapped. It truly didn’t. He had no intentions of using whatever money Damon ended up paying him in the first place. (He’d secretly hoped to turn whatever this was into an actual relationship, no under-the-table payments involved – at least until the whole mafia bombshell had been dropped on him.) “Maybe I just don’t want to associate with someone who breaks into other people’s apartments like a psycho, or accuses them of doing drugs without any evidence whatsoever – which is especially rich coming from someone like you.” Micah ran a disgruntled hand through his hair. “I mean, Jesus, do you always throw a fucking tantrum like this when you don’t get your way?”

Damon seemed truly taken aback, little lines of disbelief squiggled in his brow and his mouth even open a little in shock. He probably wasn’t used to someone calling him out on his bullshit, Micah thought proudly – what with being a mafia don, and all.

Being suicidally stupid is not something to take pride in, the functioning part of his brain scolded him.

Micah was yanked harshly from his thoughts when Damon’s slightly parted lips straightened into a thin, brittle line. “What do you mean someone like me?”

Micah blinked, rewinding back everything he’d just said. Shit. He’d all but accused Damon of being involved in illegal activity – drugs, certainly.

“I…” he desperately searched his brain for a logical reason he’d accused Damon of being caught up in the drug trade. “I just meant-”

Damon’s hands were suddenly wrapped around Micah’s biceps, grip unyielding. “Who told you?” he demanded, the words pushed out through clenched teeth.

“I- it’s just, all the money-”

He gave Micah a little shake, nothing harsh or rattling, but certainly enough to put a stop to his stuttered attempt at an explanation. “I said, who told you?”

“No one!” Micah shouted. “I frickin’ Googled you, okay?” He wasn’t even lying. As much as he’d tried to push all thoughts of Damon to the back of his mind as he’d investigated Nico’s disappearance, he’d had a moment of weakness Tuesday evening. “Considering your family’s checkered history with the law, and the fact you’re more loaded than the fuckin’ president, I think it’s safe to assume you’re involved in some pretty shady shit. Drugs at the very least.”

Damon stared. His grip on Micah loosened, but he didn’t release him. “That’s why you cut contact with me? Why you’re trying to back out of our deal?”